Android Confidential: Just how big is that notch on the Pixel 3 XL anyway?

by Michael Simon ·
Published 12, October 2018
· Updated 12, October 2018

The notch. By now it’s become a fairly commonplace feature on premium phones. Even some budget handsets are starting to get in on the act.

But the Pixel 3 XL reignites the notch frenzy. Why? Because it’s so damn big.

Google didn’t just add a normal screen cutout to the top of its latest flagship phone, it added the biggest one I’ve ever seen. I generally don’t mind phone notches, but there’s something about the Pixel 3 XL’s that bothers me. Is it the shape?

The depth? Just an optical illusion? A little of all three?

In the latest episode of Android Confidential, I figure out what makes the Pixel 3 XL’s notch so distracting compared to similar phones. I compared the Pixel 3 XL against the notchiest Android phones I could find to see if it’s really that much bigger. How does it stack up to the Essential Phone, LG G7, OnePlus 6, LG V40?